Diana Azavedo uncovers the WHEN, WHY, WHAT, HOW and WHERE of this journey. The exploration of the yoga practitioner and the transformational journey along a yoga teacher training has gained popularity and has become one of the favourite topics to discuss.
WHEN WILL YOU BE READY FOR A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING:
Some of the most common questions asked, “Am I advanced enough in my physical practice?” Am I ready to register for a training?” While some of these questions may seem reasonable, the whole point of a training program is to come with a fresh state of mind to learn and evolve from what is taught on the course. The mind plays games in tricking you to believe you are not confident and are not good enough. However, it is up to you to take charge of your own life and your calling. The time is now. If you have the luxury of time and money to invest in a training, and you’ve had a long-held desire to do it, why wait? Rise above to see the path ahead. Contrary to what most people think, you do not have to be able to hold a handstand or a headstand to participate in a training, you do need willingness and a desire to learn and contribute actively in the course discussions.
WHY ENROL IN A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING?
There are so many fulfilling reasons to participate on a program such as a yoga teacher training.
• To develop your own personal practice with safety in alignment that your body needs best.
• You learn sequencing tools to create your own classes.
• Not everyone makes it to the studio three times a week. The training provides a platform for you to have a sustainable and safe home practice.
• Introduce yourself to the more contemplative practices of Yoga such as meditation.
• To deepen the much-needed breathing exercises called pranayama.
• To learn more about your body from a functional and anatomy point of view,
• To get well versed with different modifications for the poses.
• Yoga is for everyone and there is a variation for every body structure and fitness level.
• With intelligent use of props and pose variations, all movements become accessible allowing everyone to enjoy the benefits of Yoga.
WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT ON A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING:
Definitely expect to meet like-minded people. You will feel surprisingly comfortable to share the common thoughts and feelings that arise. It is a safe space within which strangers come together to form a small supportive family-like community. As the training progresses, you will become stronger and gain more clarity on the poses and their translation in your own body. You will understand that Yoga is so much more than what we practice on the mat in the four walls of a studio. You will appreciate just how rich the history of Yoga is and how we have only begun to scratch the very surface of its depths. Usually we spend a good chunk of time on anatomy and learning of the working of the muscles. Most trainings have a guest teacher who offer their expertise on the matter. In terms of the curriculum, expect some homework and assignments to work on. This is very much a part of your self-discovery. There is a fair bit of personal journaling offered on some courses to encourage expression of your thoughts on paper for personal reflection during and perhaps even after the completion of the course. There is plenty of practice teaching to develop skills and prepare you for the professional yoga studios out there, if you decide to start teaching immediately after. With the practice teaching, you find your voice as a teacher and an instructor, learning to skillfully communicate with compassion and patience. It helps enhance a sense of self-esteem and confidence which sometimes you don’t realize you have in you. The training will propel you outside your confront zone, however it is at times when you step out of the bubble of comfort where growth happens at its very best.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING:
The first step would be to regularize your practice. Join a studio close to home and sign up for a package that will motivate you to attend class in a disciplined manner. Take the opportunity to try different class styles and levels to gain exposure to every style out there. There are some great teachers who bring creativity, education and provide for relaxation in beautiful ways in class. Take advantage of that to gain more experience and insight. Read all the books given prior to the training to be better prepared for the discussions that might come up on course. Kindly work on your reading skills and pick up books that might interest you on the topics of Yoga. Lastly, surrender to the journey that is about to unfold and remind yourself that you are enough and perfect just as you are. Let yourself feel all the array of emotions come up and embrace them.
WHERE WILL THE TRAINING LEAD YOU IN TERMS OF A TRANSFORMATION:
As you discover new strength, physically and emotionally, you might see a clearer path in front of you. Many people have shared with me that participating on a yoga teacher training is the best thing they’ve done for themselves in their life. It almost brings a sense of achievement and accomplishment on receiving the certification. Some go on to teach their families and friends and others teach professionally in yoga studios. Irrespective, there is a positive influence and this reshapes relationships with yourself and others to live a better harmonious life. Above all, I love watching how students emerge confident and with a feeling that they are capable of contributing in so many different ways to the betterment of society.
The feeling of self-trust and ability that you can do it is highly rewarding. This comes from within and all the credit goes to the students and his or her participation on course. It is an amazing moment sitting on the last day in the sharing circle watching the training come to a close, looking into the eyes of the students who were once strangers are now a closely-knit family, it is a precious moment indeed 🙂
“I am certain that a good majority of you reading this article may have felt a similar spark of curiosity. The exploration of the yoga practioner and the transfomatuional journry along a yoga teacher traning has gained popularity and has become one of my favourite topics to discuss.”
If you have wanted to pursue a Yoga teacher training and are interested to get more details, I offer these in collaboration with ZenYoga Dubai where we co-host RYT 200 hour trainings internationally recognized and accredited by Yoga Alliance, with weekday and weekend formats. The next ones start in September. Drop us a line on diana@radianceofyoga.com